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Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Dye Day

I'm getting caught up, finally, except now I'm so tired I don't care! I feel like I've dyed a mountain of wool and all I dyed is two pounds of roving - immersion style easy enough - and 8 skeins of wool yarn - dye painted again easy enough. I also painted 4 pieces of fabric, but again these were small and it was the quick and dirty squirt bottle paint job.

So the only reason I should be so tired is the hour I spent fighting the lawn mower - I think it's wanting to be replaced, with one that'll actually start on the first try.

I'll post pictures tomorrow on the dyed wool, oh I slipped some silk carrier rods into the brown dye vat they came out this really cool coffee color, all mottled, these should be a lot of fun to play with, I"m off to bed early!!!

2 comments:

Started WET FELTING. first time to dye roving. I have 9 lbs of churro. 19 lbs of a Romney/ perendale blend much softer. Trouble is the preordained process really shrinks and tightens both rovings. Hate to think about dyeing it and it gets worse. I soak and spin it out on gentle in washer. Air dry or in dryer makes no difference. Still partially felted ropes of or roving. Should I just use the all in one method of mordant and dye to avoid two hot baths?????? Am using roving in a class I teach.Considering sending it out for re-cardingHelpPeggy

Are you boiling the wool in the dye bath or stirring it too often? Basically with roving, or even fibers you need to put it in the pot give it a slight push under the liquid and leave it undisturbed or it will felt and shrink up. Also simmer the dye liquid only as the bubbling action will cause the wool to felt and shrink up.

About Me

A Mixed Media Fiber Artist, I have been dyeing with natural dyes using local and sustainable materials since 1993. I teach surface design using natural dyes, rust dyeing, compost dyeing and other surface design techniques.